


try a little bit of tenderness

by LadyVisenya



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Birthdays, Theo Raeken Week 2018, look at this sad ex evil boy, not knowing what to do with his friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-28 22:05:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16731486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyVisenya/pseuds/LadyVisenya
Summary: in which theo raeken doesn't know how to deal with having friends, especially after trying to kill them.happy birthday theo raeken.





	try a little bit of tenderness

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what u guys think.

It’s a little sad, Theo thinks to himself, that when he woke up this morning he didn’t even remember he it was his birthday.

Nineteen years old already.

No, Theo had woken up a five in the morning for work, felt with way too much shit about inventory and scanning and the system being awful despite everything they did to fix it, manned the register for the rest of his shift and hated every costumer because now he had a bunch of equipment on his lane all because the man hadn’t read his coupon expiring date, and he still had classes after.

No, it wasn’t until he was sitting in psychology, bored out of his mind and scrolling through his phone, screen still cracked from having fallen that one time Liam had borrowed it since his had died because Liam always forgot to charge his phone, that he realized it was his birthday.

It hadn't been something he’d celebrated in years. It hadn’t been something _they_ cared for and despite all the things that had happened after _that_ night, Theo had wanted to please them, to prove himself as a success, so he didn’t mention anything.

His last birthday, the last time he’d celebrated had probably been before-

Theo tries to concentrated on his lecture but basic psychology is a joke, it’s common sense and he can’t. He wishes he could just skip this class, forge the paperwork, the AP scores but he knows he shouldn’t, knows that part of this whole being better that Scott had told him about when he’d showed up one morning, stack of G.E.D prep books in hand, was doing things the right way.

So he suffers though all his boring general ed classes and tries not to stab his own eye out in boredom.

*

It’s six by the time he’s done for the day and Theo can think of nothing better to do then go home and sleep but there’s no food at his place, a small tiny room separated from the main house. Deucalion had offered him the place on the condition he collects rent and deals with the tenets for him unless it’s something big which is easy. Especially when he could never afford a place as nice as this and pay for college by himself.

He’s sure it’s Scott’s doing, or maybe even Liam’s because he’s relentless, worming his way into Theo’s life along with his puppy pack pals. Brett had shown up at his work once, douchy zoned out smile and bought a water, so he knows what they’re up too, he’s not stupid.

But Theo can’t deny that it’s nice to be wanted for a change, without having to pretend to be the kind of person people like. They already know everything about him, what he’s done, and they still want him around.

Theo gets two slices of pizza at Costco because it’s ridiculously cheap. Scowls at the cashier when they realize that both are just for him. Nosy assholes. _Like Nolan._ Nolan who thinks he’s amazing because the only thing he knows about Theo is that he was there for Gabe, at the end.

Eats while he's driving and finally gets home.

Except he’s not going to rest because he gets ambushed. God. Theo must have really let himself go, gotten oft from all the time he spends with the McCall pack if he really didn’t notice their scents, scents he’s familiar with.

“Surprise,” they all shout, Corey and Lori throwing confetti in his face as Mason takes a picture from his phone.

“Happy birthday dude,” Brett says, having already made himself at him on Theo’s sofa bed, popping trail mix into his mouth.

“We got cake,” Liam starts eagerly, presenting the cake sitting on the counter.

“We were going to bake the cake,” Corey admits, “well we did, but then someone forgot to put the timer,” looking over at Liam, “and it burned.”

“I wasn’t my fault,” Liam protests, narrowing his eyes, “It was Brett’s job to put a timer on. Not mine.”

“It was yours,” Nolan says, nervously, looking from Brett to Liam, sitting on the sofa bed besides Brett, who smiles all teeth over at Liam.

Liam mutters, “traitor.”

Mason shakes his head, “It’s chocolate with a strawberry jam filling, hope you like it but then who doesn’t chocolate.”

“Thanks,” Theo says, more of a question then a statement, feeling weirdly uncomfortable with all of this. It’s too much. It’s too nice which means it’s too good to be true.

“There’s also presents,” Lori says, “and food. Mac and Cheese but the good kind, not the kraft. And corn bread courtesy of Mason and me because we learned from the cake not to trust Liam or Brett in the kitchen.”

“Rude,” Liam protests, “I can make a mean lasagna.”

“Reheating frozen food doesn’t count as cooking,” Mason corrects him, laughing as Liam quietly fumes.

“I brought cards against humanity,” Nolan tells him with an easy smile. Theo’s the exact type of monster Nolan was so worried about not three months ago and now he’s here in Theo’s house, unbothered, unworried.

No, that’s not true.

Theo isn’t like that anymore, no matter how easy it can be to slip into old habits, he’s making an effort to be better. They might never let him into the pack but this isn’t about them. This is about Theo.

It’s about him and he wants to be better, he wants to be the kind of person who gets a surprise birthday party from his friends and doesn’t feel weird about it.

“I would’ve taken you for an appeals to apples guy,” Brett says languidly, laughing when Nolan stammers, cheeks heating up.

“Leave him alone,” Lori tells her brother and they all sit down on the ground to play, bringing the cake and food along with them. There’s a lot off food. They clearly thought about how much food it would take to feed a bunch of werewolves and two chimeras.

Like the teenagers they all are, they forget the plates and just have at it from the bowl, making a mess out of everything. Theo hogs the mac and cheese only letting up because Corey has to have some, it’s not a big deal.

“Cover your eyes Lori,” Brett tells his sister laying down another card.

“I’m older.”

“We only put up with you because of Lori,” Liam chimes in.

Theo laughs, and even Corey snickers.

“Take that back Dunbar!”

“Make me!”

“If you insist,” Brett shrugs.

Lori rolls her eyes, sharing a smile with Nolan and when did that happen. Theo really needs to start paying more attention.

“Is this okay,” Corey whispers over to him, as Mason goes to keep Liam from setting the place on fire as they light all nineteen candles.

“Yeah why wouldn’t it be?”

The slighter boy shrugs, looking over at Theo, “you’re always reluctant to hang out with us if it’s not a life or death situation and we just invited ourselves in. I’d like to think we’re friends Theo, but I don’t know if you think that.”

Guilt floods Theo because he has been distant and reluctant and he’s been trying but it’s not easy for him. He doesn’t know how to be himself and not-Theo sighs, “we are friends. Its fine really.” But that isn’t right either.

He’d expected nothing of today and yet here they all are and even their bickering and Liam looking ready to murder Brett makes Theo smile, makes his insides all warm and relaxed as they play until they’re sick of it, and Nolan lets them use his netflix password which just brings another wave of bickering over what to watch.

“Does Netflix even have Thor Ragnarok?”

“We aren’t watching Clue again Lori!”

“Holes is peak poetic Cinema,” Mason tells them all.

“If we’re watching something with Taika Watiti it’s going to be What we do in the shadows!”

“Werewolves not Swear-wolves,” they all say outlaid before dissolving into laughter, and there’s no bitterness at being left out. Theo just feels fond of this group of idiots, even if he is saving their big dumb heroic asses every other week. 

This is what friendship feels like. He knows because he remembers being like this as a kid with Stiles and Scott.

“You have to make a wish,” Liam tells him, placing the cake right by him.

“All the wax fell onto the cake,” Theo says, raising an eyebrow at Liam who flushes red.

“Just hurry up,” Liam snaps.

“Yes I want some freaking cake,” Mason says.

“And you can tell us your wish or it won’t come true,” Corey reminds him.

Theo rolls his eyes but complies, blowing out the candles with ease.

“What did you wish for,” Nolan asks him.

“Nolan,” Lori says, resting her head against his shoulder, “you can’t ask him that!”

“Nothing big,” Theo says, “just world domination.”

Liam snorts, before bursting out laughing when Theo grins.


End file.
